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Mourinho hails De Gea as ‘best keeper in the world’

Jose Mourinho hailed David de Gea’s performance in Manchester United’s 3-1 victory on the road at Arsenal on Saturday evening.

The Spaniard pulled off 14 saves during the game which is more than any other goalkeeper has made in a Premier League match this season.

Goals from Jesse Lingard (2) and Antonio Valencia helped the Red Devils to victory despite the Gunners reducing the deficit to 2-1 just after half-time through Alexandre Lacazette.

“I loved the way my team played and fought. Arsenal played in some period amazing attacking football – creating difficulties for us. But I have to say that my players deserve all the great words. I don’t know so many in English but amazing, phenomenal, fantastic. They deserved three points.

“The plan was when they had the ball we all had to defend – starting with attacking players and when we had the ball we had to counter attack fast and try to score goals which we did. They had chances but we fought and we have a great goalkeeper too.”

When asked about De Gea’s performance, he said: “I told him after the match, what I saw today was the best from a goalkeeper in the world. You need the keeper to be there for you when the team needs. All the effort from the players was magnificent. The game, we started in one way and they started in another, then we changed and went down to 10 men and changed again.

Paul Pogba was sent off for a challenge on Hector Bellerin on 74 minutes and Mourinho commented on the incident after the match.

“I don’t know,” Mourinho added. “I leave for you that one. I leave for you the Lukaku situation with Koscielny, I leave for you the Arsenal players on the grass. The grass is absolutely beautiful – I think there is a desire to go onto the grass.”